Omikuji, Hakone Shrine

Omikuji, random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan, tied around the special locations provided, but typically tied around branches of a pine tree. The reason for the pine tree (松の木 – matsu no ki) is that it is a play on words with the Japanese word for the verb ‘to wait’ (待つ – matsu). Taken at Hakone Shrine; it is clear that that is a popular object in Japan too.